The History Of Waukeshaa

In the state of Wisconsin is a city by the name of Waukesha that has quite a bit of history. It is currently the county seat of Waukesha County, and a direct suburb of the city of Milwaukee. Although it is part of the metropolitan area, with a population of over 70,000 people, it began with much more humble beginnings. It is very close to Lake Michigan, and there are many interesting events that go on every day in this medium-sized city. What is of interest is how this city got its humble start, back in the 1800s, prompted by the settlements of Europeans that would adopt Native American words for its name. It has come a long way in recent years, and as you will see, is considered to be one of the best places for families to raise their kids, as well as young people to get their start in America.

Origins Of Waukeshaa

This city was actually a small town that was settled back in the early 1800s, primarily by European Americans. When they first arrived, there was very little there except wild prairies and virgin forest, and the settlers decided to create farms, roads, and start establishing a local government. It was a new England settlement technically, primarily because the settlers were from Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, or essentially those areas which comprised new England. Most of this migration occurred after the American Revolution, and those that settled were considered to be Yankee settlers. However, despite all of this influence from European settlers, the name of the city is based upon American Indian words. Let’s take a look at how the city got its name, and then how it began to grow into the larger metropolitan area that we have today.

Where It Got Its Name

The name Waukesha is obviously of Native American origin. It may have been derived from a word that meant Fox. The Pottawatomie tribes in the area referred to this with similar words like Wau-tsha which later led to its formal spelling and translation. It was originally funded by an individual called Matthew Laflin, laying the foundation for the city that we have today. It was also thought to be a spa town, one that had access to good drinking water, leading to its nickname of Spring City. Even back then, people suffered from diabetes, and it was thought that certain springs in the area, specifically Bethesda Spring, possessed healing properties. Multitudes of people would come to this area in the late 1800s, all of which were seeking the benefits of this water which was said to heal.

Geography And Climate

Due to its higher latitude, this area tends to get a lot of snow, something that is common for cities in the state of Wisconsin. It is located on the Fox River, which flows into the Illinois River, and the warmer months tend to be June and July. During the winter, it can actually reach temperatures of 27°F, and the average snowfall is about 1 foot. There has been a gradual increase in the population ever since the 1950s, adding about 10,000 people every year.

Although this city is smaller, due to its close proximity to Milwaukee, it provides people with a good place to raise their kids in a smaller less metropolitan environment. It does have a university system through the University of Wisconsin Waukesha, and it also has several private schools and of course a K-12 system. Of note there are several reasons why this particular city is recognized including the Gibson Guitar Corporation selecting this city for an art project. It was considered by some to be one of the top 100 communities for young people in all of the United States, giving it some inform on their notoriety. If you ever get a chance to head over to Waukesha, you will find that it has quite a bit to offer. It has come a long way since its origins, and is a great place for families to raise children.